TheCable

The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has traced an oil spill from a Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) facility at Peremabiri community, Bayelsa state, to equipment failure. 

A JIV is carried out by oil company representatives, community representatives, and appropriate government agencies to agree on the cause, impact, and scale of spill incidents. 

According to Thisday, this is contained in a field report of the joint investigation visit (JIV) by NOSDRA. 

According to NOSDRA, the JIV showed that the incident, which occurred on August 24, was due to an operational mishap that discharged crude oil within SPDC’s operational area with no impact on the third party area.

Return Koma, who represented the Peremabiri community on the JIV, on Tuesday, said officials of SPDC, as well as regulators, were unanimous that the incident was traced to equipment failure.

“We have conducted the JIV, and they accepted responsibility for the leak incident at the flow station and another one at nearby Well 6, both were due to equipment failure,” he said. 

“We were unable to agree on the volume of spilled crude and so did not sign the report.” 

On the other hand, residents of the Peremabiri community had accused SPDC of insensitivity and neglect.